The Forgotten Queen

How Matilda of England Almost Became Queen

The riveting story of Matilda of England, the woman who almost shattered medieval gender norms.

Empress Matilda (circa 1102–1167), also known as the Lady of the English, was the claimant to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy, via Getty Images

Matilda of England, often relegated to the footnotes of history, was a woman of extraordinary courage and intellect who almost became the first female monarch of England. Her story is not just a tale of what could have been but a narrative that challenges our understanding of medieval society and the role of women within it.

The Daughter of Kings

Born in 1102 to King Henry I of England and Queen Matilda of Scotland, Matilda was not initially considered a contender for the throne. She was well-educated, fluent in Latin, and married off to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V, at the age of 12. However, the untimely death of her brother, William Adelin, in the White Ship disaster of 1120, thrust her into the political limelight.

The White Ship was a vessel meant to carry William Adelin, the only legitimate son of King Henry I and heir to the English throne, from Normandy to England. Tragically, the ship struck a rock and sank, claiming the lives of William and many other nobles. The disaster left King Henry I without a male heir, plunging the kingdom into a succession crisis.